Psychonyk
by Teknogeddon
Summary: In 2319 the world is a very different place. Automated cars, cybernetic limbs, and a truly digital landscape are a few of the many normal things in one's daily life. But if a person could reach inside the cybernetic surface and manipulate it to their will, how would you react? Amazed? or Terrified? M for Mature themes.
1. Save Yourself

Seeing as AkuRoku Day just passed and I'm approaching 1 year on Ketchup I'm going to present the first chapter of my next fiction: Psychonyk. As voted for by the fans, this is a heavy read story that is also long, but much less funny. This is not meant to be a lighthearted tale. Of course, true to my writing style it's going to happen, but this is supposed to make you think. I want ya'll to look at each other different while reading this story. So please enjoy the maniacally fucked up future of Psychonyk; a world very close to our own with just a touch of fantasy. I had several ideas for this one, but I decided to keep the world as close to our own as possible but still be... sci-fi fanatsy. I wanted you to distance yourself from Axel in terms of understand but at the same time relate to him. +

This story will be updated much slower than Ketchup and seeing as Ketchup is hitting one year. Yeaaahh... When I finish Ketchup this one will become the regular. I'll probably do a couple chapters to get some of the flow down, but don't expect major updates ok? :D

For future reference, the word is pronounced (SI- shon- ik)

Psyk would be pronounced (S-Eye-k.)

* * *

C**hapter** 1

01010011011000010111011001100101-**Save**  
0101100101101111011101010111001001110011011001010110110001100110-**Yourself**

* * *

When was the last time he had stood so very still like this, unsure what to do? Staring at the beating wings as they slowed gradually, he wondered why such a sad thing was going unnoticed by anyone but himself. Crouching down carefully and delicately picking up the frightened thing, he marveled at the gorgeous colors. Someone bumped into his shoulder, almost causing him to drop the tiny thing or crush it in his hands. The someone hurried away with a few low grunts and hurried steps. He blinked at the busy streets, lined in extravagant displays of media only to ignored by the passing consumers. This in turn called for greater displays and not too long after the world was covered in them.

Looking back to the flapping wings in his hands, the mortified tremble of a fleeting life, he watched the little creature try to escape his hands. This was the first time he'd ever noticed the startling lack of life in the city. Why was such a pretty little thing here? There was nothing for it to survive on and surely there were better places to die. Finding no evidence of flora, fauna, or anything other than concrete and pixels he resorted to carrying the thing to safety.

He had to have walked for nearly an hour before he finally found some shred of hope. This hope was quickly erased with digital recreations of once real things. The roses men now bought to please their wives were made of a fabricated pixellation. This made them last longer, hold color, and easier to clean. The pixels simply vanished and nothing was left behind to dispose of. No corpses of withered petals and soggy thorns that cried dust as you tried to move them.

With no alternative, he returned home, taking the almost gone creature with him. He may have no flora, no life, but he did have some sugar. At least he could make her passing as painless as possible. Yes. The creature was a her now. He had became attached only to lose her before the sun rose the next morning. Would he notice that either?

Sitting the little one down on his coffee table, he turned to his kitchen, finding sugar and adding a couple drops of water before smearing it into a thin, clear paste. Her wings drew a massive contrast from the clean straight edges of his home. Shiny surfaces gleamed along the walls, a digital code could change the color in seconds, or even play a movie if he wished. He searched for some paper, preferably a red or yellow but once again was found wanting. No one used such things. He was forced to use a scrap of an old white shirt he was going to use for dusting. Sitting it into the fake glucose, he watched as it absorbed the semi-fluid greedily on the white plate.

Placing the little creature on the plate with care, he watched her life fade away. Her little curved tongue darted across the fabric, greedily absorbing her last meal as he watched her little wings tremble, becoming slower with every second. For a brief moment he believed she may make it through this, maybe she'd survive.

She passed away regardless of his beliefs. He hadn't the heart to throw her away like some common object. He'd find her a nice spot of real dirt tomorrow under a flower to be her final resting place.

When was the last time he had seen a butterfly?  
When was the last time he had seen a flower?

He couldn't remember.

The next day went through as a blur, the tiny napkin casket sitting beside the tablet pen like a bad omen. Using the edge of a pen he lifted the edge to see her body, curled up and beautiful her wings still seemed so alive. Leaning back in his chair and rubbing his eyes, tipping his glasses up in the motion. Sighing and letting his arms drop to his sides lower than the seat of his gray padded chair. He stared at the lifeless vector of unmoving trees and fresh lakes and sky. Reaching for his tablet pen, he tweaked the side of the font, giving room for the new design that came to life.

Butterflies. Hundreds of them, floating like a stream of water in the sky. He added the colors in just so, only one butterfly identical to the girl that passed only hours ago last night. The rest were unimportant, he made her the focus. The slogan set her off, the idea of freshness and freedom captured with her visage.

Time had passed. Noting his watch flashing at him that it was time to clock out, he did so, scooping up the little girl carefully. He'd give her his own funeral. She was too precious to just discard. Pocketing her carefully in an envelope in his coat pocket, he stopped by the store and purchased something expensive and considered a wasted commodity. He'd never grown a plant before. How hard could it be?

Home, he set up the little pot, dirt, and planted the plant. It was called a daffodil. Right now it was just green stalks with a pale yellow bud at the top. Taking out his beautiful girl, he moved aside some of the dirt and laid her to rest. Covering her carefully, frowning as her beautiful wings finally disappeared, he moved the flower to a windowsill.

It bloomed the next morning. Waking him to the beautiful smell of flowers that he had forgotten. It was sick and filled with pollen, almost sickening delightful. He marveled at the tiny blossom. It had little ruffled edges framed in yellow petals. It was beautiful. He couldn't wait to go home after work and greet his new housemate. His manager and publisher praised the addition of the butterflies to his work, encouraging him to animate the wings to flap on the colored girl in the focus point. Getting to work he thought of the daffodil. Should he water it tonight?

He looked to the network for answers. Once every few days then. Okay. When the soil was dry... soil? Was that a fancy name for dirt? He frowned and clocked out when his watch prompted him to do so. It felt like returning home to a pet almost, only there was no greeting as he walked through the door. It was a start. Opening the door he turned on the light he discovered there was indeed someone- or rather something to greet other than the daffodil. As soon as the door clicked behind them the figure turned away from the flower in the window.

The silence was overwhelming, fingers slowly wrapping around a handle of the digital umbrella, appearing as no more than a pole at the current time. A cane if you would need such a thing.

"I-I..." the other stammered, wide blue eyes staring and looking terrified. "It was just so pret... I..."

He took a step back, strangely not colliding with the wall but creating a ripple in the digital wallpaper that covered the room. The hair on his skin rose in a dead chill. "You're one of... them."

"I'm sorry," the other stammered in a fearful trance. "I- I just... I saw the floor from the ground and it was just so... I just wanted..."

He studied the... thing, in front of him. Probably around twenty years old, blonde, blue eyed, small stature, and a face that could make angels cry. Those eyes held him at bay, staring directly into his own. Slowly the blonde moved, apologizing heavily as he did so. It snapped him out of his trance, causing him to panic. Grabbing the closest object save for the umbrella held in white knuckles, he flung it at the creature.

Yelping, the blonde stepped further back and into the glassy surface of his walls, materializing into the digital surface like he was a part of it. Running along the walls, he broke for the door. Items raced through the air, the plate of sugar and water from a couple days ago crashed on the surface of the wall right on the blonde's side inside the wall, shattering. The blonde hissed, clutching his arm and faced the assailant, reaching for the door lock.

The taller of the two froze, seeing the fear and sorrow in the blue eyes, just long enough that he escaped. With a click and the sound of footsteps, he was gone.

He didn't sleep that night.

Reassembling his living room and picking up the shards of glass he found he hadn't harmed the wall surface at all. Tracing his hand over the digi-coat of paint he found not even a nick or tear in the smooth surface. On the edge of a few pieces of glass, as well on the carpet and on the door handle, traces of blood were visible. Should he use bleach? Was it contagious?

As soon as he thought the words, he hated himself. What was he saying? The boy wasn't some monster. He wasn't any less human was he? What was a Psychonyk anyway? He'd heard stories about them, the news always made them sound like terrorists. He'd never met one before and the fact one was in his home made him uncomfortable. Thinking back he remembered what the young man was trying to say. Looking over at the daffodil and inspecting it, he found that it had been watered and moved into a sunnier spot in the windowsill. Touching one of the bright yellow petals he thought about the bright blonde hair that decorated the intruders hair.

Reaching for his toothbrush he looked up into the mirror and paused. He stared at himself, the emerald eyes, the red hair that stood up in careful spikes as chose in the catalog. Reaching up and touching his cheek he felt the sensation of his skin under his fingers. Smooth, unblemished... human. He thought back to the blonde again. Would his skin feel the same? Would he be warm to the touch and his pulse race when he blushed?

Would he be any more frightening if he couldn't alter technology?

Turning on the television by snapping his fingers, he sat down on the couch and stared at the screen that took over the greater portion of the wall. Relaxing into the plush fabric, tuned with a dial on the side of the armrest, he watched the news. Another Psychonyk was being tried that night. His crime was trying to sneak into college to learn medical practice. Fraud, impersonation of a civilian, endangerment of human lives, and the list went on as his crimes were listed off. The redhead paused, normally this sort of story wouldn't have bothered him, but thinking back to the blood on the edge of the plates and the blonde that had forced himself to be seen, he couldn't understand it suddenly. He changed to another station, a documentary on the 2257 Blackout. He frowned as he listened to the narrator explain the images of posh human being suddenly going into the dark, speaking of the assailant as if he had murdered them.

Snapping his fingers the television turned off. Silence filled the room.

He'd never felt so alone.

"Axel?"

With a startled yelp he clutched his tablet and rubbed his face, recognizing his coworker. "Fuck Demyx."

"You okay? You're spacing out pretty hard these past couple of days," the dishwater blonde asked with great concern latent in his voice.

He rubbed his eyes and sat down the tablet and pen. "Yeah, yeah I'm good."

He blonde wasn't buying it and pulled up a chair as the redhead yawned. "Maybe you should go home early tonight, get some sleep. You look like shit."

"Your concern is touching," he said on the end of the yawn. "Maybe I will. I can't get anything done anyway."

The blonde's brow furrowed, Axel looked over at him with distaste. "What's going on Axel? You having those weird thoughts again?"

"Weird thoughts?" he parroted.

Demyx nodded, "Every so often you start debating these really weird topics. You get hung on them for a while and never get an answer."

The redhead looked back to the butterfly, now fluttering softly in the pixels of the screen. "Guess you're right."

"So what is it this time, world hunger? Pollution?" He inched his chair closer spinning around to straddle the back of it.

Axel hesitated, running a hand through his spikes. "Have you ever seen a Psychonyk?"

This was the first time he'd ever heard the office become so quiet, maybe it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. Demyx frowned, "No I can't say I've ever seen one, or at least paid attention to notice. Why?"

"I was watching the news and one being tried for trying to go to school," he said slowly. "Just wondering how common they really are."

Demyx folded his arms on the back of his chair and rested his chin on his forearms. "Good, I don't want to be operated on by a terrorist."

The redhead looked over at him, "Terrorist?"

"Yeah they're the ones behind all those black outs and stuff. They're freaks," he said simply, as if it was common knowledge.

The blue eyed blonde stuck to the back of his mind like glue. "Are they all like that?"

"I'd rather not give them the chance to prove me right or wrong," the blonde shrugged, a strange motion with his arms under his chin.

Axel's thin lips curved into a slight frown, almost disappointed in his coworker. He flicked his wrist and looked at his watch. He only had an hour left, but the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room was making his skin crawl. He clocked out early for 'Fatigue', something he rarely did. The computer authorized his leaving and he collected his things and coat from the doorway storage system. The screen flashed the weather at him and he noted it was getting colder as it got later.

Taking the long way home, he stared at the polished concrete tiles that decorated the city. The glowing road markers for automated cars flickered in his peripheral vision. He shrugged into his coat as he passed a construction zone. Glancing over at the laborers he found they were still in the process of digging holes for the new lines that would be laid down. This puzzled him slightly, why weren't they using drills or automated equipment. He quickly realized why when he found a familiar set of blue eyes mingled in with the others.

Before he realized it, he was standing at the edge of the construction zone, ogling the blonde. His face was frozen in a state of slight surprise, lips parted slightly as if he was going to speak but no words would come. The blonde was oblivious of his presence, covered in sweat and mud from the day's labor. Shoving the spade of the shovel into the hard earth, Axel watched as the toned muscle tissue of his arms strained to lift the dirt and toss it into a wheel barrow on the side of the ditch. For a moment, he slammed the spade into the ground and rested both hands on the shaft, leaning on it for a second panting heavily. A thicker man with a straw stuck in his mouth came by and started to yell at the smaller blonde, shoving him down to the ground and continuing to yell.

Axel frowned, opened his mouth but stopped at the blonde got back up, unwavering at this outburst but looking colder than before. The gruff man waddled away and the redhead also made his leave just as the blonde looked up to notice his walking away. Blue eyes stared at the bright red spikes that were barely in his vision, blinded by dirt and grime in his lashes.

Twenty Five hours later, Axel stood in the same place watching the blonde. This time he circled the work, keeping his eyes locked on the small frame that shoveled dirt like a pro. The other workers and he had progressed quite a ways since the day before, forced into this hard labor by the society that surrounded them, ignoring them.

One of the chain workers glanced over their shoulder to notice Axel staring, only to flush and continue working. They all kept their eyes down, and most of the people passing by ignored them. Those that didn't smirked at their misfortune or gave them looks of pure disgust. Axel licked his lips and chewed his bottom lip, summoning all the courage from the pit of his stomach.

"Hey," he called softly to the filthy blonde.

"Don't talk to me," the blonde replied instantly.

Axel took a step back and walked away, defeated for the day. It wasn't for another twenty four hours that he'd attempt this again. Same time, same place he tried to call to the blonde, only this time he was ignored. One of the other workers nudged the blonde and he responded by hissing in pain. The other winced at this and Axel himself was shocked by the reaction, finally noting the graying bandage on his shoulder. "Hey are you okay?"

"You got a problem?"

Axel turned to see the gruff man from a few days ago, he presumed this to be the boy's slave driver. "Sir?"

The blonde went back to shoveling, pretending to not be phased by this at all, but the slight favor in his shoulder and slower pace when turning gave away his injury. "I said do you got a problem?"

"No sir," Axel said clearly. "Is he okay?"

"Who gives a shit?" The blonde, grizzly man spat with distaste. "He's fucking dirt for all I care. Long as he keeps working it ain't none of my damn fucks to give."

The redhead almost winced at his poor use of language. "If he's injured then how can he work?"

"He works or he's fired, he can go be sick and injured outta my sight and outta my mind. I hired workers, not pussy. So I'll ask again, you gotta a problem?"

The redhead swallowed, "No. I think I'll be going."

"Good choice, go back to pushing buttons in some fancy fucking setup, leave the shit where it lay for these fucks to clean up."

He hurried away, not wishing to return. The next day there was no blonde. There was people with automated machines, cleaning up the tunnel carved by sweat and calloused fingers. The gruff man was unfortunately still present. Axel didn't have the courage to ask where the blonde had gone, only waited. They'd need laborers to fill the hole again.

It would be several days before that happened, but true to his hypothesis, the blonde and the rest of the line returned to fill the hole. They were all forced to wear thick, restraining looking gloves. None were close enough to the electrical wire to touch. Axel approached again, the blonde turned in his direction to lift some dirt but did not look up to him.

"You got a sweet spot for these fucks or something?"

He looked up at the gruff man again, "Pardon?"

"I do admit tho. He's a looker that one," the grizzly slurred as he wrapped an arm around Axel's thin shoulders, a touch shorter than him but twice as thick in all other ways. "Bet someone sticks a thick cock in his mouth once a week, I got money on it."

Blonde eyes slipped upward for a second before he turned.

"Don't fucking look at me you maggot," the man lurched back and spat on the blonde.

He paused for only a second, muttered something as he smeared the spit and mud in his hair and continue shoveling. Axel shoved the man off, "Dude that's just disgusting."

"Yer right," the cretin chuckled, "Cooled him off probably. Psyks don't deserve any kind of sympathy."

Axel frowned, fingers curling into a fist. "What's your deal? He's a fucking human being!"

The man paused, then burst into a raucous laughter. "What's mah deal he asks! Human being!" Fits of laughter came between each phrase, as if it was the funniest joke on the Earth. "Roxas sweet heart, this faggot thinks you're a human being!" he resumed laughing.

The blonde paused, turning to look at the two of them with a carefully blank expression. His eyes flickered to Axel's watch and then back up to his eyes before he continued shoveling. The grizzly man slapped Axel on the back, "Yer hilarious!"

"Yeah, hilarious," the redhead muttered. He glanced at his watch for a second to see the code was scrambled, spelling things that were not possible for the normal digital coding to allow. Certain letters lit up on different flickering screens, he quickly looked away from the object, fearing the blonde more harm.

"Tell ya what Joker," the disgusting excuse of a human being spat, "I'll let you walk the faggot home on his leash."

"Pardon?" Axel asked.

"Law states they can't be on the streets by themselves, normally I have to drive the little shits to their houses, but I'll let you have the pleasure of taking this one."

The redhead didn't falter, "Sure. What time?"

"Take him now for all I care," the pig slurred. "Name's Cid. I want him back here three in the morning sharp, so if you wanna fuck him make sure he can still walk in the morning."

Roxas stopped shoveling and backed away, shovel in both hands. He laid the object down and took three more steps back, on a thin barrier between him and the two men. He pulled off his gloves and pivoted on his heel, offering them to the man called Cid. The gruff man took the objects from him and made a jerking motion towards the redhead.

The blonde kept his eyes on the ground, focused near Axel's shoes as a click snapped around the redhead's wrist and the blondes. "What-"

"His leash," Cid said. "He can't run now."

Roxas closed his eyes and waited for him to start walking. Axel did so, pulling away from Cid and the rest of the crowd, the blonde exactly one foot behind him the entire way. The redhead just walked for a while in a general direction, not sure where he was supposed to go. He looked at his watch to find it was scrambled, the letters lit up in the word 'Don't'.

"Little late but I appreciate the effort," Axel muttered over his shoulder to the blonde.

"We're going to the wrong way."

He turned to the soft male voice. "I know, I have no idea where to take you, so I was just going to take you home with me."

"I don't do house calls," Roxas said firmly, looking off to the side.

Axel shook his head, "Oh no no... Nothing like that. It's just," he frowned. "Well I'll show you when we get there."

* * *

A/N: Okay so there's chapter one. Lengthy I know. Sue me. I wanted ya'll to get a feel for what the world is like so I made it longer than normal.

Hope ya'll enjoyed this. I know it's hard to like this atmosphere but hopefully it at least got you intrigued.

-Tek

01010000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101 .**..."I want to complicate you, don't let me do this to myself. ...**

01010000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101 ..**...I'm chasing roller coasters, I've got to have you closer now ..**

01000011 01101111 01101110 01110100 01110010 01101111 01101100 .**.**.**Endless romantic stories, ...**

01001101 01100101 00100000 01010000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101 .**...**_**You never could control me" ...**_

Song is "Far Too Young To Die" by P!ATD,

which inspired this chapter and got this entire story started.

AS ALWAYS: I do not own any of the characters used here, however **I make 100% Stingy claims of the Pyschonyk race and universe. ** Please do not use the term Psychonyk without my permission or blatantly rip off my idea. I will be extremely upset.


	2. Forgive Me

A/N: I know I should be working on Ketchup but HNNNNGGGGGGGGGG. I've wanted to write this for-EVER.

* * *

**-** C**hapter** 2 **-**

01000110 01101111 01110010 01100111 01101001 01110110 01100101 - **Forgive**

01001101 01100101 00100000 - **Me**

* * *

Uncomfortable was one of the words that could be used to describe how Roxas felt stepping into the threshold of a man who had assailed him. Axel touched the walls and the lights turned on with ease, causing the blonde to recoil horribly. The redhead quirked an eyebrow at this, then tugged on the chain attached to his wrist. "How do I get this off?"

"You can't," Roxas said softly. "Unless I'm in my district it won't unlock."

"My house my rules, I say it comes off," Axel looked it over frowning.

Flipping the round ring over a few times he finally found a set of buttons and a dial wheel, spinning it he relequished the tight reign on the blonde and stepped away from him, testing the distance. It cleared the apartment easily and though he wasn't pleased with the former details he would accept this as doable.

"Better," he muttered. "You okay?"

Roxas didn't reply, staring at the daffodil in the window and wandering over to it slowly. "You need to water it."

"I see you found why I brought you here. I can't grow plants," Axel said shrugging. "How do you water it? Just dump some on it?"

Roxas shook his head and picked up the little pot, cradling it in his hands like a precious child. Carrying it close to his body he moved into the kitchen and turned on a soft drip of water with a tap on the faucet. The water dribbled down the green leaves and stalk of the now wilting yellow flower. Axel watched in curiosity as the soil dampened and turned a darker color under the stream before Roxas poked the dirt and deemed it fine for the little flower. He returned the pot to it's spot in the window, rotating it so the flower faced the sun.

"Is this all you needed me for? May I request you take me back to my district now?" The blonde wiped his brow off, some dirt flaking off his hand as did so.

Axel faltered, reaching out to him and the blonde receded away from his fingers. "I just..."

Roxas looked away from him, fixating on the ground, fidgeting with the binding electric leash that was on his wrist, he moved inches away from the redhead trying not to offend the other. He knew that in a moment's notice he could turn satanic and beat the blonde to a pulp, no one would care either. No lawsuit would protect him, no doctor would care. The redhead noticed his strange fixation on the floor and closed the distance between them, taking his arm carefully.

The blonde instantly hissed and squeezed his eyes shut. "Shit you're burning up," he muttered. "Sit down."

Roxas followed the hand gesture to a kitchen chair and sat on the wood surface as told. He had no room to argue or even complain. He didn't have the rights to do so even if he wanted. The redhead disappeared for a moment and reappeared with some torn white fabric, alcohol, water, soap and several other things Roxas didn't recognize. He feared for the worst. Axel pulled up a chair near to the blonde and started cleaning his face off carefully with the soap and water.

The blonde frowned and took the cloth from him, capable of doing this basic task. Axel watched as the muscles of his arms shifted to show the labor he was working, not quite as lithe has he had originally thought on their first encounter. In fact the blonde was probably stronger than him and could easily punch a hole in a the redhead's face. "Give me your arm."

"Sir?" Roxas asked tiredly. "I'm afraid that's not in your best interest."

"Cut the crap Roxas," Axel snapped. "Give me your arm."

The blonde sighed and allowed the redhead to take his appendage, wincing as thin fingers pulled away the graying, stained bandage. Axel almost wretched at the smell and sight underneath. "Geezus," he wheezed.

Roxas was carefully blank but his stone expression was beginning to show signs of cracking into pain again. He remained dangerously still as the redhead began cleaning around the cut. Pus oozed from the wound, not allowing it to properly close and scab over. Filmy slime coated the entire gash, turning a sickly yellow and red as it mixed with blood. Axel bit his lip, "I'm sorry."

The blonde did not reply, only shuddered as Axel pressed the wound, draining the pus. He apologized as he did so and the shuddering continued to worsen, Roxas dragged his fingers across his face, smothering himself in the dirt covered cloth in his palm. He groaned in pain as the redhead began to apply alcohol to the wound, disinfecting it. Once it ran red with normal blood, the redhead reached for a blue tube of liquid bandage. Smearing a generous amount of disinfectant and then the bandage on top of it, Roxas was reduced to a quivering mess, but refused to drop face. Every muscle in the small blonde's body was tense and sweat dripped down his temple, occasionally dropping onto Axel's fingers.

Pleased with the result, Axel wrapped the wound in a white scrap and let Roxas have his arm back, only to reach up and cup his forehead, despite his flinch backwards. "You're not going to work tomorrow."

"What?" Roxas snapped, reaching over to fidget with the edge of the cloth.

"You heard me," he said firmly.

"Cid is the only one with the cuff's code. Unless you plan on bribing him I doubt he's going to just let me go like that. I have to return to work, with all due respect sir," the blonde said in a picture perfect tone that rivaled an advertisement.

Axel sighed, "Axel."

Blue eyes fixated on him carefully.

"My name is Axel, and drop the act. We're both men right?"

Roxas looked away, "I'm Roxas. I think you already knew that didn't you?"

"Unfortunately," the blonde winced at his tone. "Hey now. Stop that, I'm not going to hurt you."

He received a dark glare in exchange, the man hugging himself tightly. Axel quickly backpedaled. "Well again. I mean..." he paused. "I'm sorry. You caught me off guard. I'd never had someone break into my house much less one of you."

Roxas looked away. "So this is just out of pity?"

"Well yes," he started. "I mean no. I mean... ah fuck." Axel groaned and ran a hand through his spikes.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room, only to be broken by the soft gurgle of a stomach. Roxas hugged himself tighter and looked away.

"My bad, what would you like?" Axel started, standing up and collecting the dirty rags and water.

"Sir?" he asked, sitting perfectly still.

The redhead spun his hand around as he spoke, "Food, eating. What would you like?"

"My taste is irrelevant," the blonde said in monotone.

Axel sighed, "God damn what are you? A rock? What do you want? I fucked up your arm, the least I can do is get you dinner."

Roxas remained quiet, "It's not my place to make requests."

His shoulders sank in annoyance, walking into the kitchen. "Well how about this, what do you NOT like?"

"Mexican stuff," he replied simply.

"How about Chinese?" Axel said, walking up to a keypad on the wall in the kitchen.

Roxas shrugged, putting his hand over the fresh bandaging as he did so, crossing his arms carefully. "I don't know what they have. I'll try it I guess."

"I'll get you teriyaki, but if you don't like it, tell me," Axel said, punching the numbers in. "Fifteen minutes and it'll ding."

Blue eyes stared at the keypad, confused by it and how it worked. He'd never seen one before despite their common installation in every living space. He wasn't allowed to have such interesting commodities. People in his district of the city were lucky if they were allowed anything electric. Axel ignored his minor fascination, giving him space as he crossed the room.

"Feel free to take a shower or something, towels are in the bathroom under the sink. Just no psyk stuff in my house please?"

"Couldn't if I wanted to," the blonde said softly, standing up and moving around the room nervously. "Cuff is designed to cut my wrist if I try."

Axel frowned at this and snapped his fingers. The room dimmed and Roxas flinched, ducking for a second. "I didn't-" he began but the sound of a television made him quiet down. The redhead pretended not to hear, letting the blonde explore a little without his jurisdiction.

After a couple seconds, the younger man wandered towards the bathroom, looking like he was about to ask but then hesitated and continued without a word. After a second Axel heard the shower start and smirked to himself. He continued watching the news, uninterested in everything it had to say. What pulled his attention away from the distorted attempt to focus on two things at once was his phone. Growling at the clip on his ear he activated the device with a tap to his temple and the voice rang into his ear.

"Yo Axel," a familiar voice chimed.

Axel grinned at the gruff sound of a friend. "Marluxia, how are you?"

"Fine Fine," the deep voice replied in mild disinterest. "We're heading up to bar tonight to prowl, would you like to join?"

The redhead shook his head, "No but thanks. I've got to get some sleep tonight and work on a project."

Marluxia clicked his tongue in disapproval, "As you wish."

"Axel?" The redhead looked up to the voice, Marluxia chirping in his ear for a second, questioning the origin of the voice. "I'm sorry to disturb you."

"It's fine, Marluxia I'll talk to you later," he hung up on the pink haired man before he could give him a migraine as he flooded questions into his head. The redhead stood up on his feet and stepped over to the blonde. "What's up?"

He instantly regretted it, staring down at the blue eyes that looked at him with an emotion he couldn't name. Roxas flushed, "I didn't think to remember the fact I have no clothes."

Axel processed the words slowly, realizing the blonde was still damp from the shower and dripping with water in some places, a towel wrapped around his waist. Automatically he wandered to his bedroom and pulled out a shirt and pair of shorts. "Here."

Roxas graciously accepted the items and walked away as the device in the kitchen dinged, signaling that dinner had arrived. The Psychonyk boy paid no attention to this, stepping back into the bathroom to don the articles he'd be handed. Axel pulled the two boxes and rice out of the system and sat it on the table, grabbing a pair of plastic chopsticks and a fork for his hostage he separated the two across the table. Roxas emerged a few seconds later, sitting down in his designated spot.

He pried the lid off carefully, staring at the contents with extreme interest. "It smells good."

Axel plucked a piece of his sweet and sour and placed it in his mouth with ease, encouraging the blonde to do the same with his own meal. A delighted hum passed his lips and he continued to enjoy the Chinese cuisine that was completely foreign to him. The two ate in complete silence and then separated as Axel washed the dishes. Roxas moved himself to a chair near the door, remaining still as he just observed the paradise of Axel's apartment.

"Question," Axel started. The blonde looked up at him, following him with his eyes. "If you're not allowed to be out by yourself, how were you in my apartment?"

"I snuck out," Roxas admitted. "Once I'm at my district I can wander freely, sometimes I find holes in the barrier code and slip through."

"What's it like?" he asked, sitting back down on his couch, talking to the blonde behind him. "Entering computers and stuff?"

The other frowned, "What's it like to walk into another room?" Fatigue was starting to get to him, the dull ache in his shoulders reminding him of his fever.

Axel shrugged, looking over at him and noting how pale he was. "Feel free to crash wherever you want."

"Crash?" Roxas asked, "I can't use my abilities."

"I mean sleep," he clarified.

"Oh," the blonde breathed. "Thanks."

Axel resumed not speaking and after only a few minutes he could hear a soft snore. Walking into his bedroom he grabbed a pillow and throw blanket, tossing it on the couch. Being careful he attempted to hoist the smaller male up and move him to the couch. Half awake at the movement Roxas sluggishly moved with him to the cushions and collapsed on them, cuddling into the pillow and quickly passing out.

Tense was one way to describe feelings of being woken up at 2:24 AM. Axel's green eyes blearily registered what was going on as the blonde shook him gently coaxing the redhead awake delicately. He stared at the blue eyes insisting he wake with displeasure evident on his face. Red streams of hair were sprawled over his shoulders and in his fingers as he ran through, scratching an itch as he sat up. Yawning he asked the blonde if it was almost time for work and exchanged nods of understanding as he pulled himself out of bed.

Roxas couldn't help but look at the other, chastising himself for doing so. Axel was tall, lean and didn't look like he'd worked a day of labor in his life. He watched as the redhead pulled on a sweater with a hood over his shirt and put on some older denim pants over his boxers. An autosizer infused in the fabric made the pants fit perfect and the loose sweater still show some semblance of his form; Roxas looked down at his own clothes, loose and normal fabrics feeling a bit inadequate. There was still mud and dirt smeared on the fabric from the day before, stiff from the dried sweat laced into the weave. Shoving on some shoes, Axel yawned again and rubbed his neck.

Reaching out he cupped Roxas's forehead from where he sat, "You're still warm. You feel alright?"

"I'm fine Sir. Thank you for your generosity," he leaned away from Axel's hand.

"Don't thank me, it's fine. I'll check up on you after work. Want any coffee?"

Roxas shrugged, he'd not had coffee in years and frankly couldn't remember the taste.

"I'm going to make some coffee, we're only ten minutes walk from there. I'll drink and walk," sluggish, he slid into the kitchen with Roxas in tow.

Looking at the cuff on his wrist with complete hatred, he fixed a cup of piping hot coffee with five sugars and one cream. Fixing one a bit weaker for his hostage and guest, Roxas sipped at the dark fluid greedily. It was bitter and sweet at the same time and tingled on his tongue as it trickled down his throat. Reveling in the warmth of the cup he ignored the cold shiver than grazed across his skin.

The two departed in silence, sipping individual cups of coffee, Axel adjusted the leash length to shorter again as to avoid any anger or wrath upon the smaller blonde. Cid was of course waiting for them and Roxas took his place in the line, he exchanged glances with the others as he held out his hands and Axel felt the cuffs suddenly dissipate around his wrist. Flexing his fingers comfortably, he looked at Roxas with a sad expression as he watched the blonde be handed gloves. Slowly the blonde put them on and then took steps backwards, pivoted and picked up his shovel from where he'd left it the day before.

Cid grinned at the redhead in a way that made the taller uncomfortable. Sipping on his coffee and walking away, he headed back home to catch a nap and then head to work. At least that was the idea, in fact the redhead found himself staring at the daffodil for almost a solid hour at the moist dirt exactly where the butterfly was laid to rest. He thought of her fondly and then thought of the blonde. How similar they both were and how different.

Repeatedly he had to remind himself Roxas was dangerous, at work he'd confirm this. Marluxia approached him, demanding to know who the voice was and Axel responded he'd picked up a stray Psyk on accident. This of course piqued Demyx's interest from the next cubicle over.

"What!?" the dishwater blonde shrieked.

Axel hissed at his migraine, "I picked up a Psyk yesterday."

"And you had him in your home!?" Demyx continued in a shrill, suprised tone.

"Yes," the redhead assured, "he was harmless."

"Please tell me you at least had the common sense to bind him," Marulxia spoke.

"Bind him? You mean the cuffs? His boss shoved one on me," Axel said slowly.

Marluxia frowned at this, "If he hadn't those on he'd probably have killed you."

Axel scoffed at this, "Yeah right. Last time I checked I'm not a cyborg."

"He'd find a knife and probably stab you a few times, or maybe turn your house against you. They're dangerous Axel," Marluxia warned in a deep tone.

Demyx nodded to the side, affirming this. "They're not like us Ax."

The redhead looked between the two, effectively blowing them off and then returning to his work, "Whatever you two say."

Despite his attempts to disprove them, he couldn't shake the feeling there was some merit behind what they said. With a quick network search he found dozens of news reports about accused assaults from Psychonyks on normal civilians. Murders, assaults, death threats, hacking, rape, and even identity fraud were littered through the reports. With hope he reworded the search to 'violence in psychonyks' and was rewarded with finding they were not violent by nature, but provoked as all humans were.

Leaving for home, he stopped by Roxas's work site, scanning the group for the blonde but could not locate the blonde mess of hair. Approaching the line he looked for Cid and what he found disgusted him. Roxas was on the ground, curled into a ball at the man's boot, being screamed at. Rushing up to the pair Axel jumped in front of the blonde and demanded to know what the cause for this treatment was. Cid only snarled at him and shoved him aside to kick the blonde in the stomach again.

From the broken attempts at English and screaming, Axel gathered Roxas had either fallen asleep or passed out during work, enraging the man. He could barely feel himself move before he was doing it, the wind pulling back on his frame before he felt himself hit the ground, grabbing Roxas and pressing the boys head to his chest, cradling it like one would a small child. Cid let out a bellow of raucous laughter as the green eyes narrowed on him.

"What is with you!? It's just a a Psyk!"

"They're human beings," Axel hissed. "Why are you treating them like this?"

"They're no more human than a fuckin' dog," he snapped back, almost losing the toothpick resting between his lips. "Now get out of the way before I call authorities."

Looking down at the blonde's face, swollen and bruised from the abuse he grit his teeth, "Go ahead and do it. I'm taking Roxas."

"I paid for that boy's labor fair and square," the burly elder snapped. "So either pay me back, do the work, or be arrested for interfering with my work."

Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a keycard and threw it a the man. He caught it with a huge smirk. "Then I'll buy him."

"The boy is rather expensive, you do realize?" The searing stare of the green eyes told him not to question it, turning to pass the keycard over his tablet before handing it back to the redhead. "Done. Now get him out of here before I have you both arrested for trespassing."

Axel put Roxas's arm around his neck and carefully lifted him to his feet, jostling the blonde into a half awake state. Realizing they were walking, he sluggishly moved his feet along the concrete and made their way into Axel's apartment. As soon as he felt himself being laid down, the boy feel asleep. The redhead examined him quickly, giving him a good once over. Nothing seemed to be broken, but his side was going to have a nasty bruise. Pulling off the thin cotton clothes on the other he noticed the fever had gotten worse and tucked a blanket around him as teeth chattered softly.

Finding a large T-shirt for the boy to wear he slipped it over his head, so that he wouldn't be half naked when he woke up. He'd settled down after a few moments, sleeping soundly on the plush surface of the sofa. Taking his arm, the tranquil expression faded as his blue eyes fluttered half open and closed, unseeing as he changed the bandage on the infected cut. He had no idea what he was doing, but did his best.

Going to the store catalogs on the far side of the room he ordered some bandages, antiseptic and antibiotics for infections. He'd need more by the time this was all said and done. Turning back to look at the blonde as the order was placed, Axel felt a pang of anxiety slip into his heart. The psychonyk boy was harmless now but when we woke, would he be just as so? Or would he be a monster like the stories told?

Reaching up to his throat Axel could still feel the hairline scar. Would Roxas know? What would he do when he figured out that he couldn't scream for help with so much as a touch? Only time would tell.

* * *

A/N:

Yep. Chapter two. Yep... not much else to say.

EDIT: Changed the ending of this chapter to suit the new story layout I have for it.


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